Wesley Matthews, who is from Madison and played at Marquette, and now plays for Portland, made some sort of gesture to the crowd every time he hit a shot tonight. Given that his team was behind pretty much the entire game, and trailing by double digits for much of the contest, his behavior was, at best, out of place, and at worst, selfish.

Nothing teams hate more than a guy who doesn't seem to care if they're losing.

And when they kill the next one, he'll send out another stern letter. It'll take a decade of strong common sense foreign policy to regain the USA's standing as the leader of the free world. Right now, we're just Neville Chamberlain without the free market and capitalist beliefs.

Before the Badgers' win today, an amzing 7 of 14 teams in the Big Ten had three losses in conference play. That's almost mathematically impossible. As with many things, truth is far stranger than fiction.

I'm currently reading a book on randomness and why many rubes mistake fluke happenings for a pattern and try to allow it to make sense by doing so. It does not touch on climate change to speak of, but it does discuss hurricanes and other severe storms. These have happened less and less, one of the slowest periods since weather records have been kept, since Katrina.

If the standings were weather it would be "proof" of man made change. In reality, it's just an anomaly.

We live in a world in which history shows many frozen periods that lasted millenniums, and most agree at one time the continents were all together, and for some reason broke apart.

But, you know, while those are unexplained, there's no doubt why it's a half degree warmer or colder than it was a century ago. As long as there's money to be made by spouting nonsense, some fool is going to be spout nonsense. They used to be called town criers. Now, they're referred to as liberals.

I'll have more on American Sniper later this weekend or maybe Monday. That said, heroes are not always nice people out of the public eye, be your idea of a hero be the very wealthy, athletes, politicians, military, or whoever.

Chris Kyle was the greatest sniper of all time. I'm glad he was on my side, and I'm glad they made a terrific movie about him. Did he have his demons? I'm sure he did, and his occupation is known as a hard life; often leading to heavy drinking, drug use, and poor behavior. The fact Ty Cobb was a bad man off the field does make him a lesser ballplayer.

No idea if Dekker will forego his senior season and go pro or not (while he has not developed like many expected, he probably would have been a top fifteen pick last year, and on potential alone, might be top ten at the moment), but if he would, that would mean Kaminsky, Jackson, Dukan, Gasser, and Dekker would all be gone off this year's team....that would be about 150 minutes out of the 200.

Enjoy the ride this year, and while Bo has never rebuilt, he may be forced to. Heck, Bo is not a young man...

Capitalism, it just needs to be done away with. Let's hold hands, sing a few folk songs, and let the rubes get up early and harvest the crops...busy making fun of those idiots who believe in the free market.

The Rambling wife bought a different sub than usual because she is eating healthy. I looked it up, and on the website, you can order online and choose what you want and where you would like to pick it up.

Not only do we have 4 Subways within two miles of our house, we found out we have 13 within ten miles. That's a lot of footlongs.

While that's kind of peachy, even more unusual...we also have 3 Arby's within 5 miles of us. I'm not sure if anyone else in the USA can say that.

And no, I do not know why the Big Ten allows teams to play each other twice in ten days. At the very least, you should play every team once, and then the teams you play again begin.

In the computer age, it is easy to make a schedule in minutes, just program in the criteria and poof. Why we still accept goofy stuff, like the Brewers playing the Cubs 12 times in April and May and then 3 more in August, is beyond me. I realize it used to be tough back in the old days of pens, paper, and teams traveling by trains and buses....but we've moved beyond that.

Herrera DFA'd. I believe he is out of options, so this is probably just hurrying up the decision by a couple months. He's a nice player, good defender at six positions, with good speed and the ability to switch hit.

That said, he is probably correctly placed at AAA as depth. Hopefully, he'll agree to stay on a minor league deal, but I'm sure he can get one from any club, so it is unlikely.

I'm so glad they're not on my side. And I'm so glad I don't have to wake up every country in a country I despise. They're just such horrible, despicable human beings. I simply do not know why they insist on staying somewhere they claim to hate so much...do they not realize you are welcome to leave any time you wish?

They don't even pretend not to hate the military. They don't even pretend to be patriotic.

I'd like to think some of this is why they lost the midterms, but I realize all of that was people voting with their empty wallets and seeing that less government works.

Be interesting to see who is DFA'd. I would have guessed Morris, and I have another obvious choice for the next one, but I hate to say who it is because it doesn't seem "polite."

I think I predicted Cotts was likely a couple weeks ago, as he has been targeted by the Crew before as a FA and in trades. If you'll recall, I had Sal Torres in a Brewers' uniform 2-3 years before he was actually acquired. I wasn't incorrect, I was just early.

EDIT: Was likely may be an exaggeration. Let's say he was one of a dozen I talked about.

I'm positive he is. Most of my professors taught no more than two classes a semester, and had office hours only on the days they taught....that means most only worked two days a week. I'm sure many did prep work...though many had been teaching the same classes for decades.

The real irony is, I had a couple professors who only taught a single class (maybe two sections of it) and were also full time other things...my Ethics professor was also an attorney (insert your own punchline here), and I had a business writing professor who ran his own chapel and did weddings almost every Friday night and often several on Saturday.

According to the calculations in the link, those guys must have put in 25...maybe 30 hours a day.

Also hearing that the Bucks are planning to sign former Nets guard Jorge Gutierrez on a 10-day deal out of D League in the near future.--ESPN

They have been connected to a number of point guards in the past week or two. This guy looks like a pass firsttype who drives more than he shoots jumpers...very poor from behind the 3 point line, and not a great FT shooter either, but he does get to the line a lot, and has a nice FG%, hinting he shoots the ball from up close a lot. 6-3, so he is far from a puny little fella.

Not sure if they're trying to get an injury exemption or using Kenyonm Martin's spot...his second ten day is up, though they've indicated they want to keep him for the season.

This is the first talk I've heard of the NHL to Milwaukee since the Bradley Center was built, but of course, this is pretty much just a result of the excitement of news of the new arena.

I'd say at minimum there are a half dozen cities ahead of MIL, and Vegas seems to almost have a deal in place. Quebec is close to getting one again, the Toronto/Hamilton metro could support another team, and several cities; Kansas City and Louisville to name a couple, have brand new shiny arenas in place and ready to field an NHL team this fall.

The day Al Gore was born there were 130,000 glaciers on Earth.
Today, only 130,000 remain.--Rufus King

Every single thing he said in his movie has either been proven incorrect, or has not happened.
I think it may be about time to admit the left pretty much made it all up to scare us into unneeded, very strict environmental standards that would just be ignored by India and China anyway.

Oh, and that if Al Gore were anything but a leading Democrat, he'd be doing life in prison for fraud.

Unlikely to ever be an everyday player, might still have a nice career as a utility guy, especially if he can learn to play 3B/LF/RF. Was a high draft pick twice, and was the minor league hitter of the year. Probably a bit underrated, as his struggles versus LHP mask his 800ish OPS against RHP in AAA, and has just under 100 extra base hits out of 215 AAA hits.

I assume he and Matt Clark will split 1B/DH duties, but both have some experience in the OF and at 3B, so they'll probably pick up some PA's elsewhere as well.

I giggle a bit too at all the end of the world preppers, but most folks only have three days worth of food ijn their house. If you have some bottled water, canned goods, and protein bars, you're in the top 5% of preparedness.

Excellent, piece by RCP. He simply has no understanding of how to pay for all his socialist policies, so he doesn't bother. Because he's not smart enough to realize how damaging that is...or just doesn't care.

I used to have weekly meetings when I was in retail, but they usually lasted less than an hour. When things were going good, 30 minutes was common.

The irony is, despite claims to the contrary, no one has been able to come up with much of a reason for the decline is that there were really two of them, and as Doug pointed out, every team that started off strong last season (OAK, DET, ATL, MIL) had a 2nd half slide. 162 games is simply too long to be hide weaknesses and avoid slumps, unless you are a 95+ win team, which, by definition of winning 60% or more of their games, is not going to experience an extended slump. Remember the '11 team, it was basically a 6-7 inning contest, when they were ahead, it was all but over.

It's like the old joke, that for Ted Williams, a slump was a 1-4 day. Good teams and players have shorter, less severe slumps...that's why they're good.

The goal is not to be average in Milwaukee.--Mark A
This might be the most telling quote we've heard. Several projection systems have Jimmy Nelson having a similar ERA to Gallardo. Many of us worry "but what happens if we lose a SP or two?" but in reality, very few teams, especially small market teams, can withstand the loss of a member of its rotation, and even moreso a pair of SP's, and still be a contender. They had good health in 2008 and 2011. Good health is a must.

Mark's quote basically sums up his philosophy...if the "goal" is to win 82-85 games, he believes in making a change and going for 87+. You know he's tired of losing guys to free agency for nothing too. Yet, they never have torn it all down...they try and win as many as they can. They never trade a young player unless they feel it's a good move to "go for it."

The thing I like about KRod is he always seems to accept less than market value, meaning if he returns, they might have enough cash left to sign another major league guy. If they go with another guy, like a Papelbon, he is probably it, except for a fella on a minor league deal.

The irony here is, the new commish has considered eliminating defensive shifts to increase scoring, and many former players insist the shifts do not work. You know, it's just coincidence scoring is down, almost entirely because singles are down.

I can't see the forest...too many trees in the way.

I love shifts, by the way, for the same reason I like larger rosters and other concepts...they help the small market teams, because they are cheap and a bit of an equalizer (large market teams spend money on their top five players, not their 26th-30th).

One thing I have found amusing...most everyone keeps throwing out middle infielders for the Crew to sign, while in reality, they like both Hector Gomez and Elian Herrera, and supposedly, both are out of options.

As I have pointed out numerous times, Herrera is basically the same player as Emilio Bonafacio, just without a couple good seasons several years ago.

Mark A. says he'll be very surprised if the Brewers don't make one more signing before Spring Training.--Adam, MLB.com

Me too. They have at least one more reliever coming in. I'd say they'll likely add 2-3, though one may be a guy returning from injury, and 1-2 might well be of the minor league contract variety. At the very least, KRod has probably told Boras to either find him a closer job or else wait until the Brewers fill their roster.

I'd say one bullpen piece and one "swingman" type. There was some talk today that they have some arms, other than Jungmann, who they feel can be realistic 6th/7th/8th SP depth, but I think someone will see the Brewers as a good opportunity to win a job and sign a 1y/$2M deal, or something like that, with an opt out of late March.

Got another Redbox code, buy one, get one free; so I went to their website to see if they had a couple I wanted to rent. They now have a bunch of "former top of the charts" movies for 50 cents (you do have to reserve them online). I imagine these are movies that they have a huge quantity of, that for the most part, are rarely rented these days. I got Guardians of the Galaxy, which the wife and I plan to watch after the game, the Rambling son saw it at school on a "fun day" in which you had to be all caught up with your schoolwork to participate in (I know, "back in my day," but let's face it, things are different today, heck, teachers didn't even sleep with students back then); and Non Stop, a Liam Neeson flick I somehow missed (I think he plays an accounting teacher who discovers a a better lawn fertilizer, but I'm not sure) when it came out.

I'm sorry, but back in the early 90's, I'd stop at the video store, have to talk to the clerk, and rent a couple new movies for $5-6. Today, the wife picked 'em up, and all she had to do was swipe her card and the machine spit them out, $1.06.

The Interview is on Netflix, so I watched it after the Bucks game...hilarious for the first 30-45 minutes, and then all over the place the last hour plus, but far more slapstick than expected. I do wonder how anyone could take it seriously, as it is so satire filled, it's impossible to be offended.

It's like worrying about an old time ranch hand being offended by Blazing Saddles. Laugh and shut the hell up.

American Sniper is about to have the 3rd biggest January weekend in movie history...in it's 2nd weekend out.

It's doing so much business, it's an outlier, you can't even compare it to other films. The one that keeps coming to my mind is Passion of the Christ...so many people that usually never, or very rarely go to the movies are, going to the movies in droves. It's skewing all the data.

Remember, the movie Obama's America in 2012 explained how Obama always was for the little guy and the rebels, due to his father's influence. It just keeps happening, it's embarrassing, and everyone ignores it, and focuses on the You Tube fools that Obama hangs out with because he doesn't even pretend to care about terrorism.

If it was a sitcom, it'd be funny. Since it's real life, it is not. Going to take a decade to rebuild the foreign policy. We've gone from being the most powerful nation to shaking our finger at bullies like Putin, as they make fun of us and invade our allies like Ukraine.

Badgers win in OT, miss 2 of 3 FT's (one was the first of a 1and 1) down the stretch of regulation to allow Michigan to tie it at the buzzer.

I always giggle when people complain how the team that's behind fouls at the end of the game, even though the options are give up or foul...that's a pretty easy call.

Nice week off for them to rest up before a pair of tough games, SAT at Iowa and then WED vs. Indiana. Showalter looked good tonight, but Gasser and Koenig have been playing almost 40 minutes a game since Jackson went down...before the injury, Bronson was playing about 20 and Trae/Josh about 30-32. Those extra minutes add up, especially if they are not 100%...which we never hear about, unless they miss time.

Back in the 50's, over half of all Ivy League male grads joined the military. Now, it's like 5 in each class. And those that do are mocked by their classmates, because they despise the system that made them unbearable and obnoxious...hey, it's not their own fault. Nothing is.

I know Duke isn't an Ivy, but still great to see. And yes, they give exemptions, even if you're that tall. If nothing else, he'll be used for recruiting...he won't fit in a tank or helicopter. One of the top females in my high school class got in even though she was two inches too short. I think she might have made a career of it.

Nothing makes me happier than to see colleges panicking, wondering what they're going to do without all the state taxpayer subsidies.

This from an industry which makes 90% of their money from federal grants and loans. Just a thought, but they might want to figure out why none of their tenured professors, you know, ever teach a class.

You can just hear them, can't you? "Damn it, back when Doyle was governor, we just asked for more money and he'd give it to us. That's why I'm a Commun..I mean, Democrat."

Bucks scheduled to start at 6:30, Marquette in overtime at 4PM. Considering the entire floor has to be removed and then the Bucks' floor installed, those fellas are gonna earn their money today.

EDIT: They had an Admirals game last night, so they had to put the Warriors floor down on top of the ice, move in the end seats that are on the ice for hockey, and will then change over to the Bucks' floor. Three events in about 24 hours, and then it sits empty until Wednesday.

One thing I find funny is much of the media seems to be wondering the same thing...why the Brewers are interested in Papelbon when KRod, Casey Janssen, and Rafael Soriano are still unsigned?

Well, not to be a realist, but while I would assume KRod would love to return to MIL, especially as the closer; we have no idea if the other two would consider it even if they were overpaid. There's a reason why the Brewers often focus on trades and youngsters rather than free agents...many simply have no intention of playing for MIL...and as Doug has often noted, often, just use MIL's interest to drive up their price, signing elsewhere for less money and/or fewer years after negotiating with the Crew for weeks.

Also, while I am not a believer in the closer being some sort of mythical commodity, as opposed to any other reliever, let's just look at these four guys since 2012, shall we?

Best ERA, best FIP, fewest HR/9, best K/BB ratio, tied for most K/9, and 2nd fewest baserunners.

Call him surly and grumpy all you want, the guy has been excellent and consistent. You can compare the other three and actually have a debate, but if you're arguing over all four, you're not paying attention.

And no, I don't understand how we have an infinite amount of internet sites and no one has done a simple comparison before bragging how damn smart they are.

They are talking to Randy Breuer on BTN...funny, I have no recollection of him playing for anyone other than the Bucks...despite the fact he spent three seasons with the Twolves, when I was living in Eau Claire, just 90 minutes away, and spent some time with the Hawks and Kings.

They asked him why he decided on the Gophers, and he said it was mainly so his parents could watch him play...an hour from home, as opposed to 4-5 hours for Iowa and Wisconsin. Funny how many players go across the country nowadays, seemingly never thinking of that

NPR, always just a little bit left of Lenin, once again pushes a purely fictional report that the state has a deficit...based solely on what departments ask for, not what they have received in the past, not on what they will get. We all get it...they are trying to create a crisis and minimize the fiscal turnaround the state has had under Governor Walker...we have gone from an actual deficit to a surplus, which includes a rainy day fund.

By creating this mock deficit, it allows morons to say "see, we still have a deficit."

The old media, which NPR ia a part of, has no problem at all lying and not telling the the truth...and they wonder why no one respects them and listens to them when they endorse Mary Burke...a woman who has never had a real job except one her family gave her for for sham purposes.

Only in the NFL would you have to take several steps and dance a jig for it to be called a catch. They've over thought it over the years to the point they are lost.

The college game is so much better rules wise, especially the overtime and only one foot down rule, it is difficult to believe the pros have not changed theirs.

I would do away with the extra point and add a "bonus point"...one point from the one yard line, and two points from the three...considering most plays would work from either, it would be a strategic call after every TD. There is nothing in sports more stupid than the extra point.

This is why the old media and the left despise her so. She connects with regular, common sense folks. IA is more conservative than WI, but only because it doesn't have two huge urban areas that can only be described as Midwestern China.

Regardless of how badly the city and county try and bungle it. If this goes through, Walker and former governor Tommy Thompson will have all but saved major league sports in WI, except the Packers, of course.

I would imagine the 2016 part is the hold up, as surely PHIL is well aware they'll have to pay a substantial part of his '15 money owed.

As for prospects, the Crew barely gave the Reds anything for Broxton...a hard thrower and another middling prospect. A return of that or even less is all one should expect...I'd guess the maximum is the guy on the 40 the Brewers would drop anyway. All 40 man rosters are full or nearly so right now, so they would probably prefer a guy not on the 40 anyway.

Imagine the amount of Bruins or Rangers' fans that will head out when their team plays in Vegas. That's why MLB would work out so nicely, being they play mostly three game series, but it will work with any...in the NBA's and NHL's case, they also have the draw of warm weather, not to mention gambling and top entertainment.

Just a note to those of you refreshing all the sites every few minutes, this Papelbon thing is likely to take days, if they are able to make a deal, as there are many factors...Jon giving his OK, the money involved, the players going back, and so on.

I don't see this being finalized anytime soon. That said, we may already be in day 3 or 4 and it finally leaked...the Crew never leaks anything, as they've have completed deals that went unrumored (Parra was one, as was Broxton).

1. He is known as a surly, grumpy gus. To be honest, he might be a very nice fit, as the Brewers are known for being a pack of "good guys," far more likely to call a team meeting than throw a chair or yell at someone. I recall stores I worked at where one of the management team was a pain, but more seemed to be expected.

2. His velocity is down, but his results are not. That could be luck, or, as he has hinted, it may be planned. 92 on the outside corner at the knees is better than 95 right down the middle.

3. I am not a believer in "closers" being special. That said, a guy like Papelbon, like a Hoffman, has seen it all, done it all.

4. I am a believer in roles. For the last few years, many smart guys who believe in analytics have said some mighty dumb things about "your best pitcher should pitch in the 6th inning if that's the toughest situation," acting as if everyone in the bullpen is some sort of robot, able to warm up continuously and not be bothered, mentally, or physically. When a guy gets loose in the 6th, and the SP gets a DP ball, that arm is likely toast for the night, he's not coming in the 9th for sure, maybe the 7th. Hoffman had a routine he went through, took him about 10 minutes to stretch, throw about a dozen warmup tosses, and jog in. He, and many others, simply can't do that several times. Never mind if you bring in your best pitcher in the 6th to face the top of the order, those same guys are going to bat again.

I'm having a tough time figuring this one out...very few players play in the College World Series, and the few that do, well, who cares? I'd much prefer they get players in as early as possible and get them as many games for development as they can.

Seems to me they just fixed a problem that really didn't exist. It will also mean many players start the summer wood bat season in the Northwoods and Cape Cod leagues, but leave after a month to go pro.

Picked up a City Pages today, as I live by the belief that you keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. My favorite CP article ever was just before conceal and carry was legalized in WI, CP basically predicted the end of civilization as we know it in the state, shootouts and random crime were sure to be rampant. As if to point out their ignorance, they then pointed out that 45 states had already legalized this...so, because they simply do not get it, they were saying it would have catastrophic results in WI that had occurred nowhere else.

And they call the public idiots when elections do not go their way.

Anyway, after reading the far left slant that the DNR wasn't doing enough to hinder business (they actually seem offended that some feel this is not what the DNR should be doing), I got to the entertainment section. This week, two films were reviewed...American Sniper, which received 3 stars, and Paddington, which received 5 stars.

I have not seen either, but from what I heard folks say that saw Sniper over the weekend, allow me to say, Paddington must be one hell of a movie.

Very unlikely we'll ever see Willis on the 25 man roster, but, as like all minor league deals, no risk, high reward. I would expect to see a couple more of these, as there is an opening or two on the Crew's staff, and unsigned pitchers will be attracted to them.

I wish Packers' fans would all stop blaming the loss on a single play, proving only how casual they are. They had some bad luck too, of course, but overall, SEA deserved the win. In fact, if not for their carelessness turning the ball over early, it probably would not have been a close contest. However, games are played by humans.

The defense, however, deserves some credit for causing the turnovers...but overall, most are fumbles that bounce away and interceptions that are tipped. Causing turnovers is a lot like clutch hitting...not repeatable from season to season. Not turning the ball over, though, is a skill, as anyone who watch Bo Ryan teams can understand.

Just listened to Doug chat with Bill Michaels...same as we heard yesterday. Nelson slides into the 5th spot, have not talked to Shields, unable to discuss Zimmerman, as he's not a FA. Looking at relievers, will probably make an offer soon.

Talked about the disparity in TV money, and that it is forcing teams to "be creative," A's had to let Lester go, trade Samardzija, TB had to deal Zobrist for a couple low A ball prospects.

Did not use any words like rebuild or take a step back, but dealing Yo for three players, none that are likely to be in the majors in '15 is not "normal" procedure, at least since Mark A took over.

EDIT: I looked back in my archives, and it was the middle of 2013 in which Doug talked about "taking a step back," and that he may have to make a deal that will make the club better 2-3 years down the line. That is what he appears to have done with Yo. He did not feel he could lose Gallardo for just a draft pick (that they have to pay a huge bonus) so he got three good prospects instead.

Franklin Morales, Bruce Chen, Paul Maholm, and Carlos V might be examples of fellas Doug will look at as a spot starter, most likely on minor league deals.

As for relievers, not only is KRod still out there, but Cassy Jansssen, Rafael Soriano, Ron Belisaro (a favorite of mine for his velocity, whose pricetag is likely to be lower due to having never been a closer), amd many others who have had success at times, like John Axford, Joba Chamberlain, Burke Badenhop, Joe Beimel, Neal Cotts (the Brewers have been connected to Cotts several times over the seasons), Joe Thatcher, and a dozen or so more.

Doug tells the JS he can't afford to keep losing FA's without getting anything in return, looks to find a reliever and a spot starter, similar to Estrada.

The writing is on the wall. Have to see what Mark A says, though I'm sure he had to approve this deal. They might well have a guy or two in mind that remain unsigned that they hope will sign for less than market value, like Lohse.

Most fans, except the ones who beg the Brewers to tear it all down and build it all up again every single off season, are waiting to see what, if anything, is next.

Can Nelson replace Yo? Sure he can, and right now, he will. But, it is a dropoff, and even moreso, Jungmann is, currently, the 6th SP, and he's a huge dropoff from Nelson in that role.

Knebel might be given a spot in the bullpen, but I would say he is more likely to be groomed as a second half addition as an injury replacement, and he might be penciled in as the 2016 closer. And, he'll be under team control until after the 2020 season...at least.

Knebel was a first round pick in 2013 and is still very young, and is the ceiling guy here. He'll be 23 next season, and has never started a game in the pros...12 K's per 9 innings, and was shut down due to a knee injury last season, probably why the Brewers wanted extra time to look at his records. Throws 94-95 consistently, and has a big curveball for his second pitch.

Sardinas was rushed, but will still be just 22 next year and is likely to spend the entire season in the minors, barring injury. Has been a SS his entire career, and is a switch hitter. Good speed, known to be a plus defender.

EDIT: Just now saw the Crew is paying $4M of Yo's 2015 salary. I thought two top guys like Sardinas and Knebel plus another was a large return, so that balances it out a bit.

It seems very likely this is a part of another move, as the Brewers seemed very motivated to complete this trade...is one of the prospects already earmarked to another team? Is a free agent they are after willing to take less money in year one to make up for that money going to TEX? We will soon find out.

It seems very unlikely this is "it"...though Doug has talked about giving kids a chance because they have to, with their market size. Could a package of Parra and one of the prospects bring back a SP to replace Yo with some team control? Or maybe a reliever and a cheaper 4th OF?

I'm about as unsympathetic to this as is possible, because big weddings are stupid, but there are so many lies in the article as to render it meaningless.

September is not peak wedding season at all, almost 50% take place in June, July, and August. It does not take a year to plan a wedding, never mind more than that.I'm sure plenty of hotel rooms will be open in Philly and its suburbs that weekend, though they may not be the five star, mint on your pillow ones.

After being blasted all night, Moore claims his sniper tweet has nothing to do with the movie that is taking in nine figures this weekend.

As I have said often, let's try a little consistency from the left. Obama doesn't believe in anything, and changes his mind as often as I change my undies. Clinton spent her whole life in Arkansas and DC, and then ran for office in New York. Now Moore blasts snipers, and it doesn't take much to figure out "sniper" is some sort of code for US military.

I have often stated my beliefs here on Ramblings, and you know what? I don't change them as often as the wind.

The gnashing of leftist's teeth over American Sniper will be a boon to dentistry business.--Jules

Search Twitter for American Sniper, and all you will find is incredulous liberals, much like Mike Moore, who don't understand how an American military person can possibly be portrayed as a hero...and think proud, patriotic Americans who saw it and cheered are complete idiots. More than one have said the Taliban are far more heroic than the title character.

If you recall, this is the exact reaction they had after the election.

Looking on Twitter for rumors/news about Gallardo trade is very frustrating, as gallardo means brave or gallant in Spanish, and there is also a sports car with gallardo in the name.

That said, my "problem" is nothing compared to the tears and excuse filled tirades of Packers' fans. Almost no doubt if Bostic comes down with that onside kick, the game is over. Very likely if Clinton Dix does not get caught between knocking the ball down or making the tackle outside the end zone, he does one or the other, and Crosby's kick is for the win, not to force OT.

Far better lucky than good. The Packers' good fortune, which really began with the way that Bryant TD was overruled, ended. Ground balls sneak through the hole, onside kicks sometimes slip away. Just the way it is.

Nats just acquired Yunel Escobar to supposedly play 2B, but many have dismissed that and said DC is shopping Ian Desmond and Yunel will move to SS. Could Odor (or Scooter?) be part of a deal to the Nats that involves Zimmerman, who of course, hails from WI?

Odor is a LH hitting 2B, so he makes little sense, unless he is part of another flip. Feliz, of course, is a very good reliever, who has had injury struggles the last couple years. He has two years of club control remaining.

As noted, Doug usually makes statements such as "I haven't spoken to the Rangers in six months," if a report is not true. His lack of a denial is likely proof a deal is either complete or awaiting notification of the players involved. Doug cannot comment until after physicals, unless they are waived.

I would guess a young, cost controlled prospect, likely a pitcher, plus an add on, maybe a reliever. As noted, this would clear salary and allow the Crew to be players for a FA SP...though that is just speculation, of course.

Need to lower the dollars spent 3-5% every single year and after 5-10 years, revisit the data and go from there. The answer, however, is not to raise taxes, as more money does nothing...it's been proven already.

Jane Fonda is a lying scumbag. Do you really think that if you were "misunderstood," you'd wait 40+ years to tell anyone the truth? She is a horrible, despicable human being. She deserves every ounce of scorn she gets, and much more.

Don't go away mad, just go away. It was idiots like her that spit on returning soldiers. I guarantee you it was not patriotic Republicans. You can't deny the facts.

Well, on the bright side, that's three players out for the season, and I believe that's what it takes to get a roster exemption. I assume they will look for a veteran combo guard, maybe a Luke Ridnour type.

Hillary is incredibly despised by conservatives and independents alike. Can she win? Of course she can, as Obama has proven, anyone of proven incompetence can win if his opponents do not show up at the polls.

In
watching the media coverage for the weekend games. I can't figure out
why the reporters stand outside in an empty freezing cold stadium to
give the reports, can you? Couldn't they accomplish the same thing in a
warm press box?

Casey

I would assume it's because they need to ensure no one walks into or through the shot...often on our local news, they do a report from a hallway or close to a school board or city hall meeting, and people are always wandering up behind the reporter, and then trying to be invisible to get out of it.

Not discussed is the fact many fans who plunked down sizable postseason deposits probably rolled that money over, though that said, it is still a result of solid marketing and the sales team. The good thing about this, other than more dollars in the bank early, of course, is it "creates demand" in effect...fewer choice seats makes fans decide to buy earlier, in order to get better seats on more popular days. Then, when the Saturdays fill up, people buy Fridays and Sundays. Finally, they move onto the weekdays.

When the new owners of the Bucks took over, they increased the sales reps as well. No one ever thinks advertising and simply asking people to buy actually results in more sales, but, of course it does. It may not pay for itself, but it does work. And, never forget, the number one advertiser in the world is this tiny company called Coca Cola. They sell tons of flavored water with bubbles for an incredible markup. And they do so because, wait for it...they advertise, a lot.

Of course, the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday is expected to churn
business. The percent of kids K-12 off are expected to spike from 8% on
Friday to 95% on Monday, while those colleges off are expected to swell
from 31% to 92% over the four-day frame per Rentrak Theatrical.--Deadline Hollywood

Apparently, the Rambling son is one of only 5% of the K-12 going to school Monday, though I would certainly assume Rentrak surveys far more urban areas than suburbs/rural. Meanwhile, I've never known any college to be open on MLK Jr. Day.

There is no excuse for ever taking a shot once you are ahead 100-2. They just don't get it. It's sometimes tough not to run up the score in football, as some teams can just run up the middle every play and never be stopped. In basketball, however, it's easy...stop shooting the damn ball and run out the clock.

I'd be surprised if it doesn't do $50M, especially since it's already 10% there after last night's previews. Not only is it a Republican style war movie (I've actually seen it called that several times, all by reviewers who use it as a negative term, but realistically, it means the good guys are American...quite a stretch for many on the left), it is being sold as a love story, which will bring in the female audience.

And as for the idiot who wrote the article, yes, having the most kills in US military history is a very, very good thing.

This is what happens when you make decisions based on old media coverage and emotion. Paterno did not do anything wrong except possibly not banning an old friend from the campus and program a bit earlier. And even then, hindsight is 20/20...they should have locked the doors at Sandy Hook or had armed security in place too (as they do now).

Speaking as a white person, who often showers twice a day even though I don't work out nearly as often as I should, what the hell does she know? I started doing this in the summer, as I felt sweaty after being in a shirt and tie all day, but have kept it up, almost always choosing to shower in the late afternoon or early evening (as well as when I get up), and then changing into my "stay at home" clothes, which consist of a Tshirt and athletic shorts...or sweats, as we keep the house cold enough to store meat (I say proudly).

EDIT: Every time I see someone is not feeling well, be it an illness, cold, whatever; I always suggest they shower several times a day. I just think it makes you feel good, clean, and of course, it helps your breathing if you are stuffed up, or often eases a painful cough. Often, people reply they tried it and sure enough, feel much better afterwards.

Some great writer (I forget who) always bathed after breakfast, before starting writing, and then again after dinner, choosing to lounge around all evening in his nightshirt, even when he had visitors. Comfort is a good thing.

I have often lauded Wal Mart as the greatest retailer in history, by far actually.

When one considers how incredible WM has been, one need not look further than Target's costly, goofy failures. Next time they decide to delve into a new country, they might want to, you know, give it more than three years.

They seem clueless and very panic oriented. How they handled their credit card, personal info scandal a couple years ago makes you wonder how shortsighted they must be, and what their focus is.

Meanwhile, in the time it took me to type this, WM sold another kazillion dollars worth of merch all over the world, and $514K in profits.

{That's true, they made $27B last fiscal year, which is $514K every ten minutes. How are you doing, Target?}

I have only flown eight times, four from the Cities to Chicago, and four return flights, back when I was in training at Toys R Us for management. The first flight I ever took was delayed for a long time, about 2-3 hours I think, due to weather in Chicago. We got on the plane, pulled away from the gate to make room for other planes, and sat there for a couple hours. Finally, they drove back up to the gate and let off whoever wanted to get off, as most of the passengers, probably about 2/3rd's, were using the flight as part of a two flight plan elsewhere. I got off, wandered for a few minutes, and suddenly, they hurried us back on, and once I got back on, they told everyone that the plane had to fly out of Cincinnati the next morning at 9, so, while no one knew how long it would be, this flight was going to end up in Cincy. I was seemingly the only person on the flight actually just going to Chicago, and despite the plane having been full, we left with about 3/4th's the plane empty. I think it held about 90, so we only had 15-20 folks onboard.

2. That said, and I'm sure that Obama's staff is a bunch of whiny liberal buffoons, chosen purely on loyalty to the king; but other world leaders managed to show up, or, in the case of the guy who needs a sabbatical from his vacations, could have sent one of many lackeys...if they could only trust Biden off his leash and chain in the basement (remember, he was the foreign policy "genius").

Jackson has a fractured foot, out 6-8 weeks, but we all know that depending on the place of the break and how much pain he could tolerate, if it's in a bad place or is slow to heal, we may never see him on the floor again.

As for now, one could not ask for a much better guy to step into the starting spot than Koenig. Showalter is not a 3rd guard at the Big Ten level, though he can jump out of the gym and might surprise with playing time. There is some talk that Jordan Hill, who redshirted due to being behind three plus guards, may opt to set aside the redshirt if this injury gets him on the court for 5-10 minutes of PT for this stretch.

Wal Mart made a mistake price matching my pork roast yesterday, punching in the price per pound as the weight. I got a $13 roast for $2. Would you...

...take in your receipt and explain the error, and have them charge you correctly...about $9.

...giggle mischievously as you enjoy your delicious roast.

...look for that cashier next time.

Before the free poll died, 9 people said they would go back in, 12 said they would ignore it, and 8 said they would look for that cashier again...basically, a 2-1 margin would let it go.
My feeling? I have two basic thoughts here.

1. Back when I was a Toys R Us manager, I remember getting called up to the service area by the gal working there, because she did not know what to do. A young woman was standing there, with a bag in her hands. She was waiting patiently for me, and kindly explained that she had been there a few days prior, but the cashier had not charged her for these two packs of diapers. I listened patiently, and finally just thanked her for coming in. I told her I would give her two options...one, she could just take the diapers home and I'd fix the inventory counts. Two, I could charge her for them. She thought about it for a few seconds, and said, "Yeah, just charge me for them." I have told that story numerous times, and the reaction is always the same...that lady was nuts. She made a special trip back to store to pay $23 for something she already had?

2. My personal feeling is this...if I would have seen the mistake as they typed it in, I would have corrected them. Why should I be punished for looking at the receipt?

Crazy thing is if that was a run, He would have been down by contact because his knee hit first.--Mark Cuban

As soon as the knee hits, the play should be dead. They have actually created a double standard in their goofy attempts to define a catch. Simply put, if you can catch the ball, take a couple steps, and then trying to score a TD...have it ruled an incomplete pass, you should realize that not the rule.

Calls like that are why people will insist the NFL wants the Packers to continue on. How a guy can catch a pass, take a couple steps, and dive to the end zone, and have it be ruled an incomplete pass, is simply appalling.

About
the only game the experts had any kind of disagreement in picking the
winner was the GB - Dallas game. 55 picked GB and 19 picked Dallas. In
the other 3 games the experts were much more decisive on their
favorites. 66 picked NE and 8 picked Baltimore, 71 had Seattle and 3
Carolina, and 68 chose Denver and 6 picked Indianapolis.

I
went with Baltimore, Seattle, GB, and Indy. I just find it hard to
root for any of the Manning clan. Can't put my finger on it, it's just
that for some reason they all bug me, especially Eli.

Jim
I got the Pats, Hawks, Cowboys, and Broncos.

As I said last week, I felt far better about Dallas before they looked so mediocre last week. I also like every underdog to "beat the spread." I think the Panthers might well be within a FG of SEA.

Got a buy one get one free text from Redbox today, so the Rambling son and I stopped on the way home from school. Loved The Equalizer, Denzel Washington was true to the original TV show, and a total badass. Meanwhile, Boyhood once again leaves me wondering what critics enjoy...an almost three hour movie with no plot and no point; that meanders along like a joke without a punchline.

At all.

The first half is tolerable, but the second forgets about everyone except the young male character, and he's by far the least interesting person in the movie...just an irresponsible slacker, with a "too cool" for that attitude, who mocks the adults in his life as they do what's best for them because he's too wrapped up in the mundane minutia of his own selfish, stereotypical journey to, wait for it...college.

Nice to see the Bucks finally win a home game tonight. A bit surprised to see Martin play, though a large lead made it easier for Kidd to get him a half dozen minutes or so. They play tomorrow, but then only one game, albeit in London, in eight days, so hopefully, some bruises and soreness will heal up.

I'm sure they wanted Kenyon to join the team before the time off, as they will likely have 2-3 actual practices in that week and a day. If you believe in camaraderie, as certainly exists in a game such as basketball, in which a guy like Larry Bird and, to a lesser extent, a floor leader like Kidd was when he played, makes every single player on the court a bit better.

I have them 1 & 2, though I'm biased. I feel Bush has too many negatives and Paul, despite the fact he's great copy and speaks nothing but the truth, might not be a good choice to convince people that voted for Obama to return to the world of common sense and fiscal responsibility.

This is not phrased correctly. It is not "two free years of community college," it is "two years of community college at taxpayer expense." Note there is no talk of what will be eliminated to pay for this. In the left's world, just spend more, and damn the consequences.

The truth is, we do not need more poli sci, philosophy, and creative writing majors. We need more young adults with entrepreneurial attitudes and a "if I get knocked down once, I'll get up twice" attitude...the last thing wimpy, wussy, "go apply for more financial aid" colleges teach.

By the way, that's coming from a poli sci major. I learned lots of wonderful stuff about Plato, Socrates, and the like. I could have learned it all on my own by reading an hour a day too. Without the liberal bias, I might add.

Only
4 of the 64 experts picked all 4 of the games correctly. They were
Wilson (CBS), Schefter (ESPN), Davis (USA), and MDS (ProFootballTalk).
The oddsmaker straight up had Pittsburgh winning, but had the other 3
games correct. 31 experts had 3 right, 22 had 2 right, and 7 had 1
right. You and I had 3 of the 4. You picked Carolina and I had Arizona
(bad QB = bad loss), and you had Pittsburgh and I had Baltimore.

Jim

Surprised only 7 of 64 got them all right, though all four lines were within a TD.

These are the good old days. Some folks are just too busy wishing the streets were paved with gold to enjoy the good times.

Whatever strikes me as
interesting, and serious Milwaukee Brewers thoughts. If you are a believer
in respecting OBP, throwing strikes, and keeping the ball in the park,
you may have found the place you've been searching for. I believe in low taxes, small government, and am not afraid to be labeled patriotic. If you are interested in sausage race results, walk up music, or professional wrestling, you may wish to click elsewhere.

I'm happy to pay taxes to help the helpless. I don't like paying taxes to help the clueless. Look at the Occupy movement...I'm forced to pay taxes to help those whose plight I delight in.--Dennis Miller

If you choose the path of terror, your life will be empty, and your life will be brief.--President Trump

Never have lives less lived been more chronicled.--Dennis Miller

I’m going to plead with you, do not cross us. Because if you do, the survivors will write about what we do here for 10,000 years.--Mad Dog Mattis

I have never understood why it is "greed" to want to keep the money you have earned but not greed to want to take somebody else's money.--Thomas Sowell